From First Steps to Forest Trails: A Milestone Walk in Gisburn Forest

In this blog post from Access The Dales, we’ll go on a walk with a group from Feel Good Factor who ventured into the woods for a wonderful day out in the Gisburn Forest recently…

There’s something powerful about walking together—especially when that journey represents progress, confidence, and breaking down barriers. Recently, we were delighted to take part in a special stile-free walk through Gisburn Forest, with access into the stunning Forest of Bowland. The day marked a significant milestone for a group that has come a long way over the past two years.

Located in the Forest of Bowland National landscape, Gisburn Forest is one of the largest forests in the region, offering accessible trails, scenic views, and a welcoming environment for walkers of all abilities. Its wide, well-maintained tracks make it an ideal destination for inclusive walking experiences, allowing more people to enjoy the beauty of the countryside without unnecessary obstacles.

You can read the full blog here.

Access The Dales was created as a blog site in 2011 when founder Debbie North found that, due to ill health, she was no longer able to walk in the hills of her beloved Yorkshire Dales. She began to write about her wheelchair chair adventures with her late husband Andy and the obstacles they faced in getting outdoors in a wheelchair.

Together they shared a passionate for the hiking and fell walking and now that Debs was in a wheelchair, they decided that they wanted to create a countryside for all. It is on one of their very first accessible walks to Gordale Scar in the Yorkshire Dales that the pair of them met Jonathan Smith who was just starting up his own business ’Where2Walk‘– leading guided walks and navigation training in the Dales. The three of them, together with Mist, Jonathan’s collie dog, began creating new and exciting stile free routes in the Yorkshire Dales.